Cambridgeshire FA and David James work together to enhance opportunities for young people to become Referees.

Cambridgeshire FA have today launched the Referee Access Fund, with the backing of former England international goalkeeper, David James, who is supporting the initiative financially.

The fund will cover the costs of 10 candidates who live within the Wisbech area of Cambridgeshire to attend an FA Referee Course delivered by Cambridgeshire FA, the first step on the pathway to becoming a qualified referee.

The fund has been created to allow those individuals who would struggle to access a course at full cost, allowing them the opportunity to progress into refereeing, opening doors for personal development and growth.

David James, a committed supporter of Referees, is keen to see more people get into refereeing, and commented:

“I reached out to The FA as I realised that getting into refereeing was challenging for some people in the local Cambridgeshire community and I wanted to support the next generation of referees.  They put me in touch with Cambridgeshire FA who were able to facilitate and set-up a dedicated course for individuals in my local community. I’m really happy to see this come to fruition and to give someone a chance who might not otherwise have had this opportunity as a first step into a hobby or career as a match official.”

Joanne Bull, Cambridgeshire FA CEO, added:

“Refereeing enables people to have a positive impact on the game of football and enhance the matchday experience for players. We are very grateful to David James for providing this opportunity for more people to get involved.”

Sam Anderson, Referee Development Officer said:

“It’s brilliant that David has reached out and wishes to support young people in accessing Refereeing. The skills and qualities that these young people can learn from Refereeing will enable them to enhance their opportunities. With David’s additional support, we will hopefully be able to support and inspire even more young individuals into Refereeing”.

Cambridgeshire FA is currently in the process of planning its FA Referee Course Calendar for the full 2022/23 season. Candidates interested in enrolling onto an FA Referee Course delivered by Cambridgeshire FA are requested to complete the Expression of Interest form. If successful, candidates will be contacted directly via email with information on how to book.

In order to access the funding available, individuals will be required to complete the Access to Funding Application form below, as well as the Expression of Interest Form. Successful applications will then be contacted directly.

Referee Access Fund Application

Expression of Interest Form

Summer 2022 Courses

Course One

Wisbech St Mary FC, PE14 4SS
Session One: 25th July 2022 - 10:00 - 15:00
Session Two: 26th July 2022 - 10:00 - 15:00

Course Two

Melbourn Village College, SG8 6EG
Session One: 11th August 2022 - 10:00 - 15:00
Session Two: 12th August 2022 - 10:00 - 15:00

Course Three

Whittlesey Athletic FC, PE7 1XL
Session One: 23rd August 2022 - 10:00 - 15:00
Session Two: 14th August 2022 - 10:00 - 15:00

Course Four

Netherhall Sports Centre, CB1 8NN
Session One: 25th August 2022 - 18:30 - 21:00
Session Two: 28th August 2022 - 09:00 - 16:00